GENERAL NOTES. 201 
Journal, Vol. XVI, p.1), I propose to call it /dotea festiva. It 
comes under Mr. Miers’ division Il.a* (lc. p. 25), but is quite 
distinct from the four species given under that section. The 
body is oblong oval, about two and a-half times the greatest 
breadth ; head produced upwards and forwards into a rounded 
prominence divided into two lobes by a median depression, re- 
mainder of the head variously sculptured. Near each lateral 
border is a raised longitudinal ridge extending nearly to the end 
of the post-abdomen, within these ridges are sculptured mark- 
ings; there is alsoa less perfect median ridge formed by each 
segment, having the posterior portion raised into two short 
ridges converging like the letter V. This ridge extends to the 
end of the post-abdomen. Post-abdomen gradually narrowing 
until about one-third of its length from the end, when it suddenly 
contracts and converges by slightly sinuous lines to the extremity, 
which is sub-acute. Antenne short, antennules about as long as 
the head and first two segments of the thorax. Colour, greyish ; 
length, 10 mm.; breadth, (about) 4 mm. 
My single specimen was taken at Sumner, Canterbury, on the 
under surface of a boulder exposed at low tide. I have sent 
full description with figures to the Annals and Magazine of 
Natural History. CHAS. CHILTON. 
EMBRYOLOGY OF MONOTREMES.—Mr. W. H. Caldwell, a 
distinguished student of biology in Cambridge University, and 
the first holder of the Balfour Travelling Scholarship (which is 
tenable for three years), came out to Australia about a year ago 
for the express purpose of studying the embryology of the duck- 
billed Platypus (Oruithorhyncus paradoxus) and the Porcupine 
Ant-eater (Echidna hystrix ), the only known representatives of the 
Montremata (the lowest order of Mammalia). It had long been 
considered probable that these animals were’ oviparous, but 
although the Ornithorhyncus had often been dissected about 
the pairing season,no trace of their eggs had hitherto been found. 
In consequence of this, Dr. Bennett and others tenaciously held 
_ to the theory that these animals were viviparous. Mr. Cald- 
well has, however, discovered that they lay eggs, and that the 
development of these eggs bears a close resemblance to the 
development of the eggs of the Reptilia. It was the announce- 
ment of this fact in a telegram read by Prof. Mosely which 
created such a sensation in the Biological Section of the British 
Association. About the same time that Mr. Caldwell’s discovery 
was made known, Dr. Haacke, Director of the South Australian 
Museum, appears to have discovered the same fact. At the 
meeting of the Royal Society of S. Australia, held in Adelaide 
on 2nd September, “ Dr Haacke laid a number of specimens on 
the table, including an egg found in the pouch of a female 
Echidna, in support of the theory that the Echidna, although a 
milk-giving animal, lays eggs, which are hatched in the pouch.” 
Dr. Haacke,in a letter to the South Australian Register, com- 
